A Lesson in Giving for the Diva

These days children are very materialistic! I am not say that we, as parents, make them this way but I am saying that society is making them this way! Commercials and goodies placed at eye level at the checkout counter all contribute to the "I wants" that our children have! So, how do we teach our children about giving when they want everything that they see?

With the Moody Teen, it was fairly easy! One Christmas we had very little money and told him that Santa had so many kids to take care of that he could only choose one gift that he really wanted for Santa to bring. He chose a furby and that is what he got plus a few other little gifts that were mostly necessities like clothes and socks. The Diva, however, is much harder to tackle! She is a diva in every sense of the word and we have made her that way by giving her the desire of her heart! Right or wrong, we have done it! So how do we fix the problem and teach her about the true spirit of joyful giving?

I decided that she was old enough to help in our charitable giving this year! We donated to the Thanksgiving basket drive at church by donating noodles and stuffing for 25 baskets that will go to a family that needs it! Today we finished our Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes! We chose to do one for an older boy and one for a girl that is close to the same age as the Diva! The boys box was easy but the box for a little girl was the sticking point for her! We got crayons and a coloring book, a toothbrush and toothpaste, some hair clips and a doll! The Diva wanted the doll and cried when I told her it was for a little girl who did not have a baby of her own! She did not understand and continued to try to get the doll even after the box was packed and ready to be delivered to church tomorrow! How do I get her to understand that this world is a much bigger place and that there are people in need without destroying her innocence in the process?

Another challenge arose when we purchased some new toys for our Mother's group at church! They collect new, unwrapped toys and then distribute them to kids in our community. Again, the Diva wanted the toys that we purchased for charity and again, I tried to explain that there were kids right here in our town who have no Christmas unless we help! I tried to explain to her how lucky she is to have a Mommy and Daddy who can give her everything that she needs and wants. It is NOT easy explaining all of this to a 2 year old!

Our next purchase will be for a resident at Palm Terrace, which is a nursing home where most of the residents have nothing and no one to buy for them! We will choose a resident and buy the gifts that they have asked for! I am hoping that she will be a part of this and, again, I will be able to use this as a teaching experience for her!

It is truly humbling when you are able to help others considering the fact that last year I wondered where our Thanksgiving and Christmas was going to come from! Yes, we had an angel who gave my husband a job that paid very well! In fact, 11/11/09 marked the one year anniversary! God provides and I guess, ultimately, that is what I want my darling Diva to learn through all of this! I want her to be a compassionate, caring girl with a heart for God and a heart for giving (that was also my prayer when I learned I was pregnant with her)! My charge to you is to help out in your own community in whatever way that you can because YOU can make a difference in the life of someone who really needs it!